[plt-scheme] OT- why are compilers not written in scheme?

(my apologies for OT post)

I was just listening to episode 57 of Software Engineering Radio (
http://www.se-radio.net/transcript-57-compiletime-metaprogramming )
I'm only 40 minutes in, but I'm wondering why C is the language of
compilers- when a Scheme subset would seem to be a better fit?
(excluding the obvious reason of not wanting to rewrite gcc)

Please forgive my ignorance of these issues, and my choice of list for
posting. Perhaps I should ask on the LTU discussion boards?

 Cheers,

Stephen

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Stephen De Gabrielle
stephen.degabrielle at acm.org
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